The failure of the American consumer

re: The failure of the American consumer

Ron Goldberg — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:26:35 GMT

Wow, heaven forbid that people stop buying crap they don't need; how dare they! Why have an economy based on production and growth when we can just resell overpriced houses and other inflated assests to each other?

re: The failure of the American consumer

Mr. Aware — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:07:21 GMT

Everyone commenting here really needs to wake up. Both the democrats and the republicans in public office not all but a very large percentage of them do not care about the general public, they care about what they can get. Can't you all see that?

I do not know how to get them out of office but that is going to be what it takes to stop the abuses to the pubic in general. We need to replace every politician who does not do as we request for example The 750 Billion $ Bail Out. Hundreds of thousands of emails were sent to our representatives saying do not approve the Bail Out and our so called representatives did not represent us. There has been well over 2 trillion pumped into the banks wordwide and we are worse today then before we all got 750 billion in the red, actually it's more like 1.2 Trillion or better in the US just go back 10 months and add up all the bailouts it ain't 750 Billion.I just wish the People of the US would figure out a way to get to gether and replace majority of our so called representatives because they are very dishonest and they don't care about the people because if they did 1. They would not have instigated the lending practices that got us here, 2.They would not have sat on their hands for 8 years or close to that 3. Wnen it all goes south steal over a trillion from us to fix the problem which is not fixed but they got the cash.

America must be blind and deaf.

re: The failure of the American consumer

Margaret — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:59:51 GMT

To encourage all that money sitting in insured bank accounts be put to productive use, an incremental tax on amounts over a certain figure should be imposed to help pay for all the risk and expenses involved in insuring these non productive assets. It is all the small investors( including 410K savers) who have been saving steadily over the years, making sacrifices and delaying gratification, who are being the most punished. They are being left to the mercy of the consequences of all the fat cats who are bailing out of the stock market ( yes! the same ones who helped cause this disaster )

If all the bank account holders saw it was in their economic interest to put their cash to more profitable use, it would be a definite plus to the economy

re: The failure of the American consumer

caroza — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:54:14 GMT

You can find all the answers to your questions within Zeitgeist -- the first one explains the corruption -- the second one explains the economic crisis

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

re: The failure of the American consumer

Big Horn — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:09:20 GMT

This is a no-win situation for all of us....if we all cut back and save now what little money many of us have jobs will go away faster. Because we are an economy that is based on "consuming" 70% of the jobs are in jeopardy right now. Americans have to learn to think for themselves and not follow a "pack" mentality. Believe it or not there are people who have not spent themselves into oblivion, purchased homes they could afford, diversified their retirements, saved CASH, got a practical education with a future and kept an emergency fund. It may have not been "sexy" but it sure has paid off. But like I said above, it is now a Catch-22. For so many years this economy has been driven by irresponsibility. It will be tough times to change. God forbid the government gets involved as they always make things worse...the Great Depression lasted much longer because of government intervention...looks like we are in for more of the same.

re: The failure of the American consumer

jlk — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:55:41 GMT

The media is only reporting doom and gloom for political reasons....to make the current administration look as bad as possible. I agree that things are rough, and probably going to get worse. The 700 Billion dollar bailout was a HUGE mistake, but it added fuel to the fire. You all can add higher taxes to our money woes as well. After the election if the candidate wins as deemed worthy by the press, the headlines will start reporting more positivily. However, if the other candidate wins, we can expect more doom and gloom, probably for 4 more years at least, regardless of what is really happening out there.

Look for positive things in your life everyday. Otherwise, the government and media will suck the life right out of you.

re: The failure of the American consumer

r.jimenez — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:01:34 GMT

The Fatcat is getting fatter and we as people giving to them ,we need to cut and ,stick it them?,,because,it will come back and bit them in the ass.thank you,richie

re: The failure of the American consumer

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:18:56 GMT

The problem is that consumers are not able to get a piece of the cashflow from corporations. Its ironic that consumers are the ones responsible for the successes of corporations but are not able to get the benefits of making the corporation a success. Here's a blog on this topic - http://blog.myfinancesblog.com - read the one titled "Consumers of the world, unite"

re: The failure of the American consumer

jjimmiesgirl — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:41:19 GMT

We live across the street from a group home. The government pays a privatre business to care for these residents, who are disabled in one way or another. We figured out that each one of these four residents cost the taxpayers at least one hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year. The home is staffed twenty four hours a day, and usually three staff members are present. PLus the cost of the home, utilities, upkeep, medical care, lawn care, transportation, food, paying the office staff of the company, etc. etc. etc. You get the idea. So around twelve thousand a month OR MORE for EACH of these people. And these group homes are all over . (They took these people out of institutions to place them in group homes, which cost a heck of a lot more.) But when I think of how much the government leaves my husband and me to live on, compared to these people in group homes, it makes me angry. Plus we have to pay work expenses, gas, car expenses, and health insurance and medical bills, etc. etc. etc. It is appalling how much those of us who work have left after we get up five days a week to go to work. And then , we cant even deduct our work expenses!! People in group homes cost about five hundred to a thousand dollars a DAY and we have MAYBE a hundred dollars a day for BOTH of us!! And that is ok??!! Now, I am not saying that we should not take care of these people, but it doesnt have to cost so much. The country and states cannot afford it. Plus , shouldnt their families have at least some responsibility? The working people in this country are getting ripped off big time. You work so hard and long and get so little in the end. They whine about the senior citizens and the public assistance people being on a fixed income. Well, you know what , many of the working people are on a DECLINING income, we keep losing hours and also not getting raises at all sometimes. Even the Social Security people get a better raise than us, and They dont "lose hours ' every week like we do, when we have a lack of work. Everything everything is SO out of balence.

re: The failure of the American consumer

Doyle Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:28:32 GMT

It is sad that our Directors of Companies allow the CEO's to draw a bonus when they have lost money. I say NO BONUS until the company makes more money this year than they made last year and other than a Bonus, deduct from their Millioin Plus Salary the same percentage of loss the Componay lost over last year, & make them pay their own Golf Fees. I have not voted for a Director since I got Enronized, Worldcommunized and Lucenized form the last crooked dealings of CEO's. This time I got AIGized for 75,000 down to 2500.00. I am fed up with the hand picked Director set up. I know our Congress is not going to take notice of this but I believe they could do something for the common people, instead of turning their heads from this situation.